Ball-returning mechanism for bowling-alleys.



PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

'5. POWERS. BALL RETURNING MECHANISM P011 BOWLING ALLBYS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1908.

' 51 wcm l'oz c/Wa/rd Powers' wilmeoocb 1H: mmm: Pere-Rs EDWARD POWERS, OF SHELBYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

BALL-RETUFENING IVIECHANISNI FOR BOWLING-ALLEYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed August 11, 1906. Serial No. 330,249.

1'0 all who/rt 'llt may concer/ft.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD POWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelbyville, in the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Returning Mechanism for Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to improvements in ball returning mechanism for bowling alleys, the main object being the provision of a means whereby the return of the balls is controlled from the front end of the alley, thus dispensing with the use of the boys generally employed for returning the balls.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a ball returning mechanism for bowling alleys embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts as will be disclosed herewith.

In the accompanying drawings z-F igure 1v is a sectional view of my improved mechanism, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the ball lift or elevator.

Referring to the drawings My device is applicable to any form of bowling alley, and the plane or chute 6, is inclined from one side of the pin setting end of the alley, and by means thereof, the ball after passing the pins, is delivered to one side of the rear of the alley, in place to be elevated by my improved mechanism and returned to the forward end of the alley.

The principal part of the mechanism for returning the balls consists substantially of the inclined plane or chute 6, which causes the ball to roll to one side of the alley and rest in front of the elevator' or lift 7, which is slidably mounted upon the tracks 8 and is connected to a handle E) by means of a cord l0. As this handle 9 is pulled upon the elevater 7 is moved so as to cause the ball to be moved up the incline run-way 11 until it junction of the oppositely inclined run-way 13, where the ball will run by gravity down to the ball receptacle 14. The cord l() is passed through guides 15 and 15'DL so that it will never interfere with the balls while returning.

The elevator 7 is provided with a series of fingers 16 and the reduced end 17 which is carried upon the strip 18 and hingedly secured at 19 to a plate 20 which is provided with eyes 21 slidingly mounted upon the tracks 8. This hinge is so constructed that when the elevator returns of its own weight, it will pass over any ball remaining at the bottom of the incline 11 and assume the proper position, after passing, for elevating the same and allowii'ig the saine to be returned.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings it is evident that I provide a construction of ball returning device for bowling alleys by which the balls can be returned by parties at the forward end of the bowling alley, thus dispensing with the assistance of any one at the end of the alley for returning the balls.

that I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a bowling alley, of an incline chute leading from the pin setting end thereof to carry the balls to one side of the alley, a return runway for the balls leading from such point to the forward end of the alley, apair of tracks located at the rear end of the alley above the rear end of the runway, a frame slidable upon said tracks, a hinged elevator carried by the frame and depending therefrom adapted to pass over and above the balls during its rearward movement and to engage the balls during its forward movement, and means connected to the frame and operable from the forward end of the alley for operating the elevator.

In combination with a bowling alley having an inclined chute leading to one side and at the rear end of the alley, of a ball returning device, consisting of a runway extending from the rear end of the alley to the forward end and having a short incline leading from near the inclined chute to the proper elevation to cause the ball when freed to roll to the forward end of the runway, tracks mounted above the said short incline, a frame slidable thereon, an elevator hingedly connected to and depending from the frame goes beyond the apex or angle 12 at the` whereby the same passes over and above the balls during its rearward travel and drops in .the rear thereof to engage the same during its forward travel, and means operable from the forward end of the alley connected to the frame, whereby the balls are elevated up the short incline and released to roll by gravity to the forward end of the runway.

3. In combination with a bowling alley having an inclined chute leading from the pin setting end to one side, of a ball returning mechanism, consisting of a return runway IOC) frame slidably mounted above the short inhaving a hinged member that slides over the ro ball upon its return and engages it only when pulled forward.

ln testimony whereof I aHX my signature in presence of two witnesses,

ED/VARD POWERS. l Vitnesses:

WVM. H. CRAIG, E. A, JOHNSTON.

for the balls having a short inclined portion leading from said chute to receive the ball and a long slightly inclined portion eXtending toward the Jfront end of the alley, and a clined portion of the runway and operable from the front of the alley to engage a ball and push the same up the short incline to its junction With the long incline, said frame 

